I read on another forum that anticonvulsants, such as Neurontin or Lyrica, can actually make neuralgic pain worse in some cases. I'm wondering if anyone on here has expericenced worsening of their symptoms when taking these drugs? Thank you for your replies.
Neuralgia - Can anticonvulsants cause neuralgic pain worse?
Question posted by Oldriska on 15 Sep 2012
Last updated on 4 November 2019
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
28 Answers Page 2
Avenue12
14 Oct 2018
I've been on gabapentin for 4wks now on 1800mg a day. It sorted out burning in legs, but pain has increased all over my body. I suffer from chronic neuropathy so don't need any extra pain. I think I will be coming off them!
prax07
20 June 2018
I was recently prescribed gabapentin for severe sciatica pain. My entire left leg felt (hip to foot) as if the nerves were on fire and electrified at the same time. I took 600mg for 15 days, one 300mg in the morning and one 300mg at bedtime along with one citalopram 20mg. In those 15 days it was helping, but I ran out of pills and had a three day wait until my insurance would allow a refill. When I began taking it again my nerve pain from the knee down to the foot became unbearable, I couldn't walk more than a few feet and my ankle felt like it would snap with each step. I stopped taking the gabapentin after just three 300mg doses and that feeling went away on day two after my last dose. Now I have some nerve rawness in my knee and lower leg but I can walk around the house with little pain, and my ankle has stopped feeling like it would break with each step. So apparently gabapentin was the culprit.
I last took it on Saturday, and it's now Wednesday, and my pain seems to be much less without it. Can't imagine why it was affecting my ankle so badly, but it literally felt like it was going to break. Not spoken to my doctor yet, but she highly recommend this drug, so not sure what can replace it.
Bevrr
4 Nov 2019
Goodness... I was prescribed gabapentin one week ago! 300mg morning and 300 my at night. I don't seem to have much thigh pain relief yet. My Dr. said this drug starts working in around 2 weeks! I see where your ankle was affected. I have this too! I sure hope this drug can work! I never have suffered with any thigh pain before. Just since surgery 3 weeks ago.
Minnieprincess11022
26 Feb 2018
I took it for 3 weeks and the numbness tingles and pain increased almost double. I stopped using it
Gracie2018
24 Jan 2018
I have taken Cymbalta, Lyrics, Neurontin and lastly Gabapentin for Fibromyalgia an Neuropathy. I never had any relief from taking any of these drugs and the neuropathy continued to get so bad that every single night the burning in my feet felt like I was being bitten by millions of fire ants on my feet. Or another description would be as if someone was ripung multiple layers of skin from the bottom of my feet. Since I have never had any relief from these meds I stopped taking them the last was me weaning myself off of the Gasbapentin. Since I have been off of these meds I am no longer suffering this extreme burning pain. I would say I am about 80% better from the burning now.
Nancyann0903
2 Feb 2018
Thanks! This is very strange. At first I could sleep all night, then the extreme burning started. I'm taking Cymbalta now. I haven't really seen any difference.
Nancyann0903
19 Dec 2017
I had a steroid injection 2 weeks ago for sciatic nerve pain. It did not work and can’t take another cause I’m diabetic and blood sugar was 523 with me adding insulin. Doc gave me Neurontin. I’ve been blaming excruciating foot pain on the high blood sugar (only like this for about 6 hours). Now I wonder if it’s Neurontin. Makes me sleep so was happy, but somethings wrong. I have neuropathy, but nothing like this.
Rebekah Mae
21 Nov 2017
Ive been taking lyrica for 4 months for extreme neuralgia. It worked great. A week ago i started taking Gabapentin for seizures and the neuralgia has gone thru the roof! So much that yesterday i took 8 150mg lyrica to try n stop it! Bad i know... but i was desperate! Ive just realized it must be the Gabapentin! So i just googled to find if anyone else has experienced this and found this site. So yes its made my neuralgia 10 thousand times worse! Ill be stopping it today! I wish i didnt take this mornings dose!
Kracker55
14 Oct 2017
Lyrica made me much worse tremors in low back legs and hands, tingling in hands and feet, brain fog , blurry vision, headaches, more pain than before, muscle weakness and cold hands feet as well as numbness in face
Sherrinorton1
12 Aug 2017
Gabapentin made my pain worse! I was taking 3600 mg per day and realized it was the gabapentin making pain so bad. I've never been in this much pain. I'm currently still on 2400 mg but trying to withdraw off as soon as I can. I never thought it was gabapentin because I was told it was right for My nerve pain! I literally almost died several times from a reaction I've developed to this drug. I kept thinking it was something else wrong. It took My Daughter and I both to sit down and figure it out. My pain is slowly getting better but not sure how long until I can really find relief!
Joyce W
13 Nov 2017
He'll Sherries! I also take 3600 mg a day of gabapentin and take three doses a day, six hours apart. I suffer increased severe pain when I first take it and that pain can last hours. I have come across only one other person besides you who has this problem. I'd love to get off of the stuff! I'm going to wean myself off with the help of my pharmacist husband. Wish me luck and stay in touch. PS. Was so glad to find your post! Regards, uJoyce
Joyce W
24 Jan 2018
I have moved away from a part of town that is now a Superfund site because of a smelter that contaminated the area with heavy metals for many years. We were told that our yard was fine because the home’s previous owner had replaced the soil himself but they never tested the soil under our home. Long story short, since moving outside of the plume zone I’ve been in much less neuropathic foot pain and instead of 3600 mg a day I’m down to 300! I’m so surprised and happy. I always suspected that arsenic was somehow involved; even though EPA’s testing showed us safe and under guideline numbers, and now I’m finding out I most likely was correct. :). Joyce
kingsmen
27 Jan 2018
Hi Joyce,
I was just wondering how quickly you tapered off Gabapentin. Thank you!
Dmccoy1964
6 June 2017
I feel Gabapitin has made my pain worse. The Pharmacist said no it couldn't be Gab.,but the pain was not as bad when I went off, but I started back taking it and now My pain is worse.
yearsofit
26 April 2013
Some of the listed side effects are parasthesia (pin & needles, burning) and myalgia (muscle pain). Another thought: Neurontin/gabapentin and lyrica have a half-life of approximately 6 hours. If only prescribed one time time per day, if a person accidentally missed one day, by the time they took it the following day, they would be at only half of 1% in the body. The neuralgia pain could theoretically increase because of lack of drug. Maybe for some, they could experience a withdrawal side effect that quickly. One of the possible listed withdrawal symptoms is more severe seizures or the return of seizures. Even without skipping, since these meds are processed in the kidneys, maybe some people's kidney function is messed up so their kidneys are behaving erratically. e.g. processing faster then not processing, so withdrawal symptoms or not enough drug in the body become a factor.
I know in the very beginning when I was on a one time per day and occasionally missed 1-2 days because of being out, that I would experience minor effects besides increased pain, whether from withdrawal or resuming, I don't know.
sara12345
26 April 2013
I was told that I could take Lyrica on an "as needed" basis. But that's probably different from taking it every day for withdrawals. We will see :)
sara12345
26 April 2013
P.S. And I am taking it for Trigeminal Neuralgia pain, since I can't take Trileptal or Neurontin.
yearsofit
27 April 2013
Sara12345, I am so sorry. In all my troubles, I was just thankful I didn't have it in the trigeminal nerve. It may be that occasional dosages will not give withdrawal symptoms. However, I think you can research and find some people have adjustment symptoms such as dizziness from only taking it as needed. Probably some don't have side effects as well. Docs have the horrible job of balancing benefits and side effect risks, along with sometimes keeping the patient's financial situation and official diagnosis for future medical and life insurance purchases in mind. They have a tough job looking out for you. The more meds you are on, the more difficult to find what is causing what, and sometimes what is helping. If you are not journaling, you need to, then take the time to read back a few months later or before you go to a med appt.
sara12345
30 April 2013
Thanks for your kind words. I took Lyrica again. I dumped some of the powder out of a 75 mg capsule (as approved by my doctor and the pharmacist) based on my previous bad experiences with it. I was terribly dizzy for over 12 hours after taking the pill. NEVER AGAIN. Now I've been prescribed Baclofen.
The Mad Man
16 Sep 2012
Gabapentin has help my leg pain (neuropathy) but I had side effects on the Lyrica and stopped that stuff after one week. I have taken Lyrica before and has side effects a long time ago and this is my second time. (Insomnia really bad) Gabapentin help with sleeping for me.
bnagoh
16 Sep 2012
Woa this question made me think since I have taken both lyrica and now presently taking gabapentin for 7 years and it does seem like there are times where I feel more pain than I think I should. The burning pain and sensations that I had have receded but they sometimes come back. My seizure and pain symptoms have stabilized for the most part. I haven't had an increase of symptoms though.( Thank you Amneal pharmaceutical}
kaismama
16 Sep 2012
That seems odd, but it is possible that someone could have an adverse effect from one of them and actually have it make it worse.
Related topics
lyrica, neurontin, pain, neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia
Further information
Similar questions
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.